Weekly Blog No 50 – Oxford Canal

On Monday my husband took me to the hospital for my cancer treatment and blood tests. as we were there sometime discussing my current issues with my Net Nurse we had to rush home as there is about a 30 minutes commute to pick up Lottie (Dog) for her grooming appointment. As you can imagine after taking 2 pokes I was not feeling 100%, however I went with him for the fresh air as I seemed to be lacking the quality of outside air at this moment in time. Walking is an obstacle with my spine and GI issues…….all the fun of being a cancer patient.

Lottie attends a grooming shop in a semi rural area called Hillmorton Locks along side the Oxford Canal. This is one of those times when I kick myself for not exploring the area more in the past. It’s roughly a 5 minute drive from where I live now in Rugby and is only a 5 minute walk from where I previously lived. We get so wrapped up in our lives that we seem to dismiss what is right in front of us. Now that I want to explore, I cant due to my GI symptoms. Hopefully Oncology can get on top of everything so that I can reconnoitre.

The Oxford Canal was completed in 1790 and is 78 miles long in Central England. The canal goes through the counties of Oxfordshire, Northampton and Warwickshire, which connects to the River Thames and the Grand Union Canal. The canal was very important for trade between the Midlands and London, however the canal is more about pleasure today

Oxford Canal Map

Hillmorton Locks saw improvements in August in 1740 to ease the flow on the canal. By improving the locks there was an increase in traffic and a recorded 20,859 vessels passed through the Hillmorton Locks by 1842.

Hillmorton Locks

Alongside the canal edge is the Canalchef Bistro offering a variety of drinks and food. Inside the Bistro is full of canal memorabilia and history.

Full English Breakfast

The buildings next to the canal are early nineteenth century structures of red brick and slate roofs with architectural details.

Blacksmith Cottage

The bridge that links the canal side buildings and Hillmorton Locks.

If you go under the bridge it leads to the boat yard

Boat Yard

A canal boat heading south.

A canal boat moored at Hillmorton Locks.

Painted Canal Ware

An excellent example of British engineering and should be explored not only for a means of travel around the UK but for a possible holiday experience.

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Weekly Blog No 32 – Warwickshire, UK – Part 2

Leamington Spa is an elegant town in the heart of South Warwickshire. The name Royal Leamington Spa was adopted by permission of Queen Victoria in July 1838.

As I was living between Rugby & Leamington Spa, it was very accessible to shop in both towns, however I did favour Leamington Spa. I always got a warm fuzzy feeling in Leamington Spa and I just can’t explain what I mean. The architecture is mostly of  the Georgian & Victorian periods with neutral tones. The streets are tree lined and the  town never looks dull on a grey day. I could happily say if I lived in the Midlands again I would move to Royal Leamington Spa.

Some photos of the architecture around the town

Lansdowne Crescent,  21 properties with 4 or 5 storeys, designed by Architect William Thomas and built about mid 1830’s are now Grade 11 Listed Buildings. William later emigrated to Canada and designed some of the finest buildings in Ontario.

The Royal Pump Rooms built early 1810’s by Charles S. Smith for £25000. The building a Grade 11 Listed Building now was a spa attraction and brought in tourists from all over the UK and Europe to bathe in the healing water. The building has multiple uses now, Art Gallery, Museum, Assembly Rooms, Cafe and Library

In the 1990’s,  Mick Jagger song Sweet Thing was filmed at the baths.  Video Link

In 1830 at the age of 11, Princess Victoria stayed at the Regency Hotel before becoming Queen Victoria.

The statue of Queen Victoria stands outside Leamington Spa Town Hall and was unveiled in 1902. A german bomb blast in 1940 – WWII caused the statue to shift one inch on its plinth.

Jephson Gardens was formerly known as Newbold Pleasure Gardens, however was it renamed in the mid 1840’s after Dr Henry Jephson. Dr Jephson was a renowned physician and a big advocate of the healing water of Leamington, which draw both tourists and patients to the spa town. Jephson Gardens is almost 200 years old and is an idyllic location for weddings and events.

Jephson Memorial in the honour of Dr Jephson, which is located in Jephson Gardens was used for an album cover. Moseley Shoals is a 1996 album by the British rock group Ocean Colour Scene.

(Written in UK – English)